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Topic: Ideas for filing cabinets? (Read 1328 times)

Anyone here done a filing cabinet build or project they want to share? Thinking about fabricating some wooden ones to replace my metal ones in the office, but have some questions about load and stability given all the weight they have to hold.

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I haven't built filing cabinets from the ground up, but I have modified some. A serious consideration when you design them is to incorporate a way to secure them to the wall if possible. In my case I had to modify both a double wide unit and a tall single wide unit so that they wouldn't tip over if multiple drawers were opened. Both units were heavy and built with oak and oak ply. A user inadvertently left the bottom drawer open on the double wide cabinet and opened the upper drawer. Since both drawers were fully loaded, the file cabinet tipped forward spilling a printer and miscellaneous office things. Fortunately no one got hurt but I quickly added a reinforcement brace to the rear cabinet wall and a spacer between the wall and cabinet since I couldn't attach it directly due to base molding behind the cabinet.

I realize this doesn't directly answer your question, but offer the suggestion for safety consideration. Earthquake restraints could also help, but in my case they weren't aesthetically feasible.

My shop at night is a garage for two cars, so everything has to be mobile. Instead of building my own mobile shop cabinets (time better spent on building furniture ), I simple use low-profile filing cabinets for my machines. The tops are where the machines (Kapex, Oscillating sander, thickness planer, enclosed shop vac, etc.) are mounted on, while the lower drawers or compartments are for storing accessories, etc. All the cabinets are second-hand or used, found in Kijiji or garage sales.

We use Blum movento guides in the 60 kg rating. You can get side stabilization for them but we have never found a need for it. For hanging the files I like to use .125 x 1" aluminum rabbeted in flush and protruding up about .375". We drill countersink and screw the strips on. Mostly we run the files the same direction as the runners so the drawers don't need to be the same width as the file. If you can not set the depth of the file drawer the correct dimension you can put in a partition in the correct distance back from the front to hang the file on. Quite often we end up installing a file bank at the end of a run of 24" deep cabinets so we just leave the drawers at 22" and section off the back of the drawer. Everyone seems to find something to put in there.

I have included a photo of the drawers with the aluminum hangers. This was back when we were using Accuride guides.HTHGerry

We use Blum movento guides in the 60 kg rating. You can get side stabilization for them but we have never found a need for it. For hanging the files I like to use .125 x 1" aluminum rabbeted in flush and protruding up about .375". We drill countersink and screw the strips on. Mostly we run the files the same direction as the runners so the drawers don't need to be the same width as the file. If you can not set the depth of the file drawer the correct dimension you can put in a partition in the correct distance back from the front to hang the file on. Quite often we end up installing a file bank at the end of a run of 24" deep cabinets so we just leave the drawers at 22" and section off the back of the drawer. Everyone seems to find something to put in there.

I have included a photo of the drawers with the aluminum hangers. This was back when we were using Accuride guides.HTHGerry

The drawers in the picture are about 30". I have made them as wide as 36" without issues but I think that is as wide as I would go without side stabilization. I think fastening the cabinet to the wall is a wise move. Here is a picture of the drawers in the cabinet. The room was packed full so it was impossible to get a good picture.

The drawers in the picture are about 30". I have made them as wide as 36" without issues but I think that is as wide as I would go without side stabilization. I think fastening the cabinet to the wall is a wise move. Here is a picture of the drawers in the cabinet. The room was packed full so it was impossible to get a good picture.